Modern day optical networks may use N×N photonic switching fabrics to interconnect inputs and outputs in central offices and other network switching locations. The N×N photonic switching fabrics may include multiple passive silicon photonic elements. By way of example, an 8×8 photonic switch may include a total of 112 1×2 photonic elements with half of them is 1×2 and the other half is 2×1. In practice, the photonic elements exhibit non-ideal performance such that at least a portion of the signal leaks over to the non-selected output. For example, in a 1×2 photonic element having a “bar” configuration (e.g., input-1 is connected to output-1), at least a portion of the signal will leak over the output-2. Likewise, in a 1×2 photonic element having a “cross” configuration (e.g., input-1 is connected to output-2), at least a portion of the signal will leak over the output-1. The degree to which the signal leaks across may depend on the extinction ratio of the photonic element, with photonic elements having high extinction ratios exhibiting less leakage than those having low extinction ratios. Signal leakage across the individual photonic elements accumulates throughout the switch fabric and ultimately leads to cross-talk noise amongst the various output ports in the N×N photonic switch, which degrades network performance. Accordingly, techniques and mechanisms for reducing crosstalk in N×N photonic switches is desired.